A Traveler's Guidebook 1

Traveling is challenging. It's hard to decide what to bring and what to leave. Baggage weighs you down as you travel just as leaving essentials  brings regret later. Israel had just conquered Ai after first losing 36 men battling Ai because Achan coveted. As they moved forward some men, who seemed from a far country met them and lured into agreeing not to hurt them, when Israel failed to seek God's counsel in the matter. Soon, Israel discovered they'd agreed to protect their neighbors, the Gibeonites. The Gibeonites proved to be added baggage for Israel as they traveled forward. When we neglect seeing and seeking God's face and channel His wisdom before making life decisions, we too will find our bags get heavier than they should be-we'll be weighed down as we travel. Israel would not only have to fight for the Gibeonites but they'd have the added burden of having the Gibeonites in house for years to come. Travel light today by tapping God's word for guidance and strength. Extra baggage does not make for carefree days.

Journey into true worship

They turned over to Jacob all the alien gods they'd been holding on to, along with their lucky-charm earrings. Jacob buried them under the oak tree in Shechem. Genesis 35:4 (MSG)
The place where we lay down our idols can be a place that moves us into a lifetime of worship. Shechem may not have been Beth-El, but it was so symbolic. There Rachel handed over her idols, which symbolized Laban and everything evil and moved toward Beth-El, the place her husband met with God and found his bad self (the Israel God-Wrestler, he was born to be). To Beth-El they would travel, where the man once Jacob (Heel, Cheat) would find a God so willing to take him damaged goods and make Him a man with a mission. Shechem though was so important to his finding his place; for without a Shechem (a place where we lay our idols down), we'll never make it to Beth-El, the place that bleeds with God's presence and authentic, soul-deep worship.